Your Lips on Mine
by willynilly23
Summary: Post-finale Charah goodness.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi, I'm willy-nilly and here are a few things you might need to know.

I am a new Chuck fan, having watched the series on Netflix this winter and rewatched it almost constantly since then. I have read ALL the fic here as well and finally feel ready to throw my hat in the ring. I love how frequently people are still writing about this show, I hope people are still reading.

While this is my first Chuck fic, I have a bunch of Covert Affairs fic on this site, so if I seem familiar or you ever watched Covert Affairs, check that out too! Thanks!

This is post-finale, immediately post-finale.

Your Lips on Mine P1

The kiss ended as tentatively as it had started, it was a sweet kiss, but as Chuck opened his eyes he knew it wasn't magic.

"Mint ice cream," Sarah said confused.

"What? I haven't had…." Chuck replied.

"Not now, but once?" Sarah cocked her head, her eyes squinted to look back in time.

"Heh," Chuck smiled, "funny you chose to remember that moment. I'm lucky I remember that moment."

"You were drunk," it wasn't an accusation.

"Yep."

"In your underwear," it was starting to sound like an accusation now.

"I wasn't at my best," he blushed and looked down at his knees.

"But we kissed, and it was sweet and tentative," Sarah pointed out and Chuck realized it was a similar kiss.

"So maybe Morgan was right, maybe the kiss idea will work, we just have to recreate every kiss we ever had," Chuck said excitedly as he leapt to his feet.

Sarah snorted a laugh as Chuck flipped through his memories trying to pick the kisses that would stand out the most.

"Trust me?" he looked down at her and held out his hand.

Sarah didn't answer with words, but she put her hand in his and the next thing she knew he had pulled her to her feet, pulled her close and kissed her deeply. His hands found her face, framed it as his lips worked furiously against hers, coaxing them open and allowing his tongue access.

After his initial surge of bravery, just as it had happened 3 years ago, he slowed down, tensed a bit waiting for her to recoil or, you know, stab him, but she slowly ended the kiss, pulling away and touching her lips.

The look on Sarah's face was similar to that day, slightly surprised and mostly turned on.

"I went to fix my lipstick," she blushed, Sarah Walker blushed.

"We didn't actually buy that excuse," Chuck grinned.

"OK, one more" Sarah smiled, her competitive side coming out.

Chuck bit his lip, shook out his arms and raised his eyebrows in a challenge.

"I'm ready," Sarah promised.

Chuck approached her, looked into her eyes with a smile on his face and kissed her, his hands coming up to cup her jaw. It seemed like any other normal kiss but then he pulled back and dipped her, leaning down he placed a big sloppy wet kiss on her neck before righting her to a standing position. As soon as he looked at her he knew it hadn't worked.

"Two out of three isn't bad," she shrugged and Chuck tried to school his features to hide his disappointment.

He nodded but ended with his head down, his chin tucked into his chest and Sarah could see the defeat in his shoulders.

"That one was important?" she reached over and tilted up his chin.

"Yeah," he said softly not trusting his voice.

"We'll just have to keep trying until I remember," she smirked.

"Do you want to?" he asked.

"Keep kissing you? Absolutely," she grinned.

He smiled.

"I meant, do you want to try?"

She lost her voice then, as if it were sucked right out of her body by the sincerity of the man standing in front of her. So she just nodded and stepped closer to him, wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head against his heart, felt the beat of it shift under her ear, pick up speed and strength as he cradled her close.

"As much as I would like to trust Morgan's medical expertise gleaned from over a decade of ER episodes and as much as I would like your treatment to be nothing but making out I think we should talk to Ellie."

Chuck felt Sarah stiffen slightly in his arms.

"It's OK, she's fine. She wants to help," Chuck assured her.

"OK," Sarah agreed.

"OK?"

"OK."

They stood there moments longer, the muted sunlight just about completely masked by clouds and the ocean breeze cooler and damp. Sarah shivered and Chuck pulled her in closer, his long arms covering her back, but unwilling to let her go just yet.

***555***

Morgan was in the courtyard when Chuck returned, whether he was back there or still there since Chuck left was uncertain.

"So?" Morgan circled Chuck like a small dog, trying to gauge his friend's mood.

"It kind of worked," Chuck admitted hesitantly.

"Kind of? Magic isn't kind of, it is definitive," Morgan's hands were flying as he tried to figure out what Chuck meant.

"Little things are coming back, but more importantly Sarah seems committed to working on it, here with me, together," Chuck smiled.

Morgan smiled too, but looked around for his friend's gorgeous wife and saw no sign of her.

"Are you sure, Chuck? Because you're alone," he said it slowly in case Chuck had had some sort of mental break.

"Yeah buddy, Sarah went to the hotel to check out and get her stuff," Chuck assured him.

"Oh, great, good then," Morgan patted Chuck's back but continued to be skeptical.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," Chuck hooked his thumb over his shoulder towards his apartment and Morgan just nodded.

Chuck disappeared into the apartment and Morgan took his seat on the fountain to make sure Sarah actually showed up. He wasn't keen on spying on his friends, but Chuck needed someone watching his back if things went south. Morgan would be there. He knew that if Sarah left it would be worse than a no shaving, View watching, cheese ball binge this time.

Chuck made his way to the bathroom and started up a hot shower. The chill of the beach had seeped through his clothes and he had sand in unpleasant places. He also needed a place to hide. Once safely ensconced in the shower he leaned his forehead against the tile and sobbed, let go of all the anguish he had been trying to conceal.

Sure he had let a few tears fall in front of Sarah as he told her their story on the beach, but he tried so hard to hold himself together for her, to be the strength she always was for him. The fact she didn't remember their wedding gutted him though and he used the shower to purge all the pain before she arrived.

Chuck felt much better after the shower and as he slipped on a clean pair of jeans he heard Morgan greet Sarah in the courtyard.

"Sarah!" Morgan said equal parts relieved and surprised.

"Hi Morgan," she replied tentatively.

"I'm just really glad to see you," he sighed and ran a hand over his beard.

"Isn't Chuck back yet? Didn't he tell you I was coming?"

"He did, he is, back I mean. I'm just glad nothing detained you."

"Worried I would change my mind?"

"Something like that," Morgan shrugged.

"Well I am here and I am planning to stay here. I know how important you are to Chuck, Morgan, and I imagine you were important to me too…" Sarah began.

"Eventually," he nodded.

"Good, so we should get together soon and talk. After I talk to Ellie?" Sarah said her sister-in-law's name with trepidation.

"Any time, Sarah. Really, anything you need, ever," Morgan replied with such conviction, the same kind of sincerity she felt from Chuck.

Sarah might not remember these people around her, but she was a spy and she knew how to read people and now with her head clear of Quinn's lies she could see that what she had here in California might actually be real.

"Right now, I need Chuck," she smiled.

"He needs you too," Morgan patted her arm and returned to his apartment.

Sarah stood in the courtyard for a minute, the sky darkening to night and the low hum of the nocturnal insects surrounding her. She put her bag down and crossed her arms in front of her, closed her eyes. Chuck finally grew impatient of anticipating her knock and opened the door.

"Hi," she said, her eyes still closed.

"Hi," he replied his voice closer than she expected.

His long legs had brought him within arm's length.

"Have we ever danced out here?" she asked.

"A couple times actually. Ellie and Awesome's wedding reception was here, Casey planned it and it is both an awful and an amazing story. We had a couple parties here too," he trailed off leaving the engagement party and rehearsal dinner details off.

"Mmmmm," she nodded, "I like it here."

"In the courtyard?"

"In California," she smiled. "I never really had a home…"

She began and Chuck didn't dare interrupt her. She moved back to the fountain and took a seat and he joined her.

"My parents, well, my childhood wasn't traditional," she laughed and he nodded.

"You know this?" she asked and he nodded again.

"I told you?"

"Reluctantly," he smiled, "I crashed a dinner with your dad once thinking it was a date."

"You've met Jack?" she smirked.

"And Emma," he ventured.

The smirk was replaced with terror.

"It's OK, she's safe now," he placed a large warm hand on her knee, "Molly too."

"Wow," was all she could muster before a shiver wracked her body.

"Come inside. I took a shower already, there are clean towels and all your stuff is still in the bathroom if you want to warm up. I can make some food," he offered.

"Thanks," she stood and Chuck followed.

"I'll call Ellie while you're in the shower and make a plan, it is getting late in Chicago," he looked at his watch and did the math.

"OK," she nodded and crossed the threshold back into the apartment.

"Welcome home, Sarah,"

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the warm response, so glad this fandom is still around and active!

Your Lips on Mine P2

Sarah emerged from the bathroom in yoga pants and a tee shirt, her wet hair curling and her face completely clean of make-up. Chuck thought she had never looked more beautiful. Or scared.

"Pasta OK?"

"Sounds great," she smiled.

"Comfort food," he lifted one shoulder half-heartedly.

Sarah nodded. She glanced around the apartment and a photo caught her eye. A wedding photo.

"That last kiss on the beach was from our wedding," she said sadly.

"You remember?" he turned from the sauce on the stove.

"Lucky guess," she frowned.

He nodded and returned to stirring the sauce.

"We look awfully happy," she indicated the photo.

"There's um, there is a video. Maybe someday you can watch it, if you want, after we decide on the best course of action," he stuttered.

"Of course," she agreed quickly, Sarah found herself willing to do almost anything for this man.

"I talked to Ellie, she will be here the day after tomorrow," Chuck mentioned as he reached under a cabinet to get the strainer for the pasta.

"She's coming here," Sarah froze.

"She wants to perform some tests. Is that OK?" he was so skittish.

"Sure."

"Sarah, Ellie knows what you were going through, she doesn't hold anything against you."

"I almost killed her. I almost killed… you," she choked on the last word.

"But you didn't. You couldn't," Chuck dug down for that reserve of strength.

Sarah just nodded her agreement.

"Let's eat," he smiled.

Sarah had seen a few smiles that day, but somehow she knew he was holding back, that he had a bigger smile he hadn't broken out yet.

"I am really hungry," she agreed.

"Good, I cooked the whole box of pasta," he laughed.

***555***

"Chuck, I have some fuzzy images that don't make a whole lot of sense. Do you think I could ask you about them, try to sort out the facts from my imagination?" Sarah asked later as they drank some tea on the couch.

"Sure, I asked Ellie and she didn't see any harm as long as you take the lead and I don't force too much info on you at once. You may not know this, but I can be a talker," he wrinkled his nose in the most impossibly adorable way.

"I can believe that," she laughed.

"OK, so fuzzy memories, shoot…"

"Did I ever belly dance for you?" she started and Chuck choked on the tea he had just sipped.

"I am guessing yes," Sarah smirked.

"You did, twice actually. Once to seduce me into doing something you wanted and once to just get me into bed," he grinned his eyes warm as he looked at her.

"Did it work?" she was curious now.

"Not the first time, to be fair you were interrupted and we worked that particular problem out without a seduction. The second time, yes, yes it worked," he nodded enthusiastically.

"Did I have to seduce you a lot?" she was genuinely curious.

"That is an interesting question. Technically, no, I don't require much seduction. We got better at compromising on things that came up between us and you almost never had to seduce me in to bed, but I think, and I don't want to speak for you, especially now that you are trying to remember yourself, but I kind of feel like you liked it from time to time."

Sarah nodded not looking to have taken any offense at his assumption.

"You are so beautiful Sarah and I love you, have loved you, so much. Once we started being together like that it was fun, we worked so hard to be together and once we were we were , well…" he trailed off not wanting to overwhelm her.

"We had a lot of sex," it was a statement and not a question.

"We had a couple of years of stops and starts to make up for."

"I watched my mission logs. I didn't recognize myself. You, Chuck Bartowkski, did something to me," she grinned.

"We kind of turned each other's worlds around," Chuck fiddled with his mug.

"Did you own the car from Back to the Future?" Sarah moved on to another fuzzy memory.

"Ha! No not me, Morgan, and very briefly. That was when I met your dad the first time."

"First time?"

"He came to town twice."

"Wow, twice in 5 years, that's a lot for us," Sarah sighed.

"He liked me," Chuck teased.

"I can believe that. He called you Schnook. He called Casey 'Cop Face'," she remembered suddenly.

"He did, although to be fair anyone could have come up with that particular nickname. Casey does have a cop face."

"Did I get in a fight with a Super Model?"

"Kind of. She was a bad guy, but she looked like a Super Model and your fight ended on a catwalk during the closing of Milan Fashion Week," he said matter-of-factly.

"We've had an interesting life," she yawned despite her words.

"That's putting it mildly. You're clearly exhausted though, it's been quite a rough few weeks. I want you to be comfortable, I can sleep out here or blow up the air mattress in the 2nd bedroom," he offered as he collected their cups.

"I don't imagine you fit on this couch very well and you must be at least as tired as I am. We shared the bed when I thought you were the enemy. I mean, if you want, we could…" Sarah was spiraling and Chuck had to fight not to smile at the adorable little wrinkle between her eyebrows.

"You don't have to invite me into your bed twice Sarah," he ended her spiral.

***555***

Chuck brought Sarah a small bottle of water and found her sitting on her side of the bed with something in her hands.

"Why was I taking birth control pills?" Sarah looked up from her hands.

"You, um, we had…" Chuck stumbled over his words.

"I had an IUD."

"You did and when it was time to replace it we discussed switching to birth control pills in case. Someday…."

"We wanted a baby."

"Exactly."

"Did we want a baby?"

"We talked about it. You thought you might be pregnant a few months back and it kind of scared us both, but we were making some changes to possibly accommodate a small human," Chuck smiled, the biggest one yet.

"These were here, it looks like the pack was just opened," Sarah noticed Chuck's eyes going a little wide.

"What?"

"We had sex in Japan, on the train before Quinn took you."

"So I could be pregnant?"

"Theoretically, I guess. Sarah, I hate to ask this, I know you probably don't know the answer, but did Quinn make any indication that he or any of his men…. Did they…?" he couldn't even say the words.

"No, at least, I don't think so. When I woke up in my hotel room I was confused and scared, but there was absolutely no sign of any kind of trauma. What I remember of being with Quinn he was always much more concerned with the intersect than my body," Sarah sounded confident, but Chuck saw the flicker of doubt.

"We'll have Ellie run every possible test in the book," Chuck assured her.

Sarah nodded and put the small plastic disc on the nightstand.

"How could he just take it all away? How is it just gone?" Sarah looked up sadly.

"Sarah, I don't think you are as gone as you think you are. Sure, Quinn suppressed your memories and he brainwashed you into a lot of lies, but now that you are free of him, the you that is here is a lot more of the real you than you even realize," Chuck sat tentatively on the bed, one leg tucked under him.

"Yeah?"

"Think about it, if you were really the Sarah of 5 years ago, would you even be here?" he indicated their bedroom.

Sarah smiled.

"The Sarah Walker you told me about, that Casey told me about, before Burbank would have been half way around the world by now. You aren't, you're here and sure it is scary and sure it is awkward and sure I am not making it better by pointing that out," he smiled and she snorted a laugh, "but you are here, with me, trying."

"It all seems so improbable," she shrugged.

"That someone as amazing as you could have settled for someone as ordinary as me?"

"No, Chuck, no. I have cobbled together enough to know that you are anything but ordinary. I can't believe I was in the same place for 5 years, I have never spent 5 years anywhere."

"You have a library card and a standing order at the coffee shop down the street," he grinned.

"That makes me happy," she reached her hand out and loosely held his wrist.

"You have friends, granted not a ton of them, spy life makes book clubs a little challenging, but you have friends here that love you and want to help you. You have a family, kind of a wacky mash-up between yours and mine, but loyal," he turned his wrist in her grasp so her thumb could feel his pulse point.

"I have you," she smiled at him.

"You have me," he promised.

Chuck moved to stretch out on the bed, on top of the covers, his head on his pillow. Sarah mirrored the image. He slowly moved to wrap an arm around her, giving her enough time to squash the idea if it was too much, but she didn't. With his long arm over her shoulders she actually moved closer, her nose tucked against his neck, their feet finding each other. He kissed her forehead and felt her body clench, afraid he went too far he was about to pull back.

"There's a song…" she started, "I can almost hear it."

"Birds flying high…" Chuck began to sing in a soft steady voice not willing to break their hold to turn on the record player.

Sarah reached her free arm across his body, curled her fingers into the worn soft cotton of his shirt, pressed the length of her side against his and with her head on his chest she could both hear the words he sang and feel them rumble through his body.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Your Lips on Mine P3

Sarah woke first, daylight accosting her, eyes squinting against it. She felt him behind her, his hand on top of hers outside the blankets, on her hip. Without thinking she began moving her fingers, causing his to move too, to lace between hers. She felt the shift in his breathing that indicated he had woken, but he didn't say anything. She turned on her back and looked at his sleepy face, felt like something should be different. He had more hair then she realized. The image was hazy, but she felt this unbelievable amount of desire.

Without thinking any more she leaned up the short distance to attach her lips to his. The familiarity of the moment for Chuck was too much and he clutched her close as he had back then, sliding an arm under her back to pull her body flush against his kissing her with his eyes open to gauge her reaction, the same amount of trepidation that she might flee.

Sarah didn't flee, she arched into the kiss, pressing her body against his as she opened her mouth under his, taking his tongue into her mouth. Chuck moaned against her lips, but finally slowed the advance and pulled back, tenderly stroking her hair from her forehead kissing her gently there.

"We didn't have any birth control. It was a tiny bed, not here…." She sifted through the image.

Chuck just nodded, his voice still raw with desire.

"It was Morgan's fault somehow," Sarah inched her way up to a sitting position.

Chuck rolled on to his back and brought a hand to his face, trying to get some control back.

"Ironic, we seem to have a similar birth control issue now," Sarah chuckled remembering the pills she found last night.

Chuck just turned his head in her direction, a question on his face.

"I may not remember all the times we made love Chuck, but I know how I feel right now," she smiled and reached over to run her fingers through his hair.

"When did you cut your hair?" she asked to lighten the mood.

"A couple years ago," he turned on his side and faced her.

"Ellie must have been sad," Sarah frowned unsure why that was her first thought.

Chuck looked at her strangely but didn't say anything. Sarah reached for him again, wiggling closer as she tugged on his shoulder, coaxed him to snuggle against her, his cheek warm against her stomach.

"I think you were right last night," she mentioned.

"About what?"

"That I am more me than I realize. I never liked to cuddle. In fact I rarely enjoyed sharing my bed at all, but I like this, with you."

"I converted you to cuddling, it took some work," he smiled against her stomach.

"It seems like you rubbed off on me, did I have any influence on you?"

"Oh Sarah, so much," he sat up now and looked her in the eye.

"The fact that I am not binging on cheese balls in a fit of neurotic angst is proof of how much I have grown up since I met you. I was on a sad path when we, for lack of a better word, intersected," he laughed at his own pun and she glared at him, she really looked like the old Sarah for a second.

"Sorry," he blushed, "but it's true, I was kind of lost. You made me believe in myself, you taught me actual functional things about being a spy, but more importantly you taught me I could do this."

"So I was a mentor?"

"A really really hot mentor, yes," Chuck nodded with a grin.

"How about you take me to that coffee shop I like?" she passed off the compliment.

***555***

"I didn't even ask you if you had somewhere to be today," Sarah mentioned as she broke off a piece of scone.

"I do have an appointment later today and you might want to join me, if you are up for it. I am meeting with our lawyer," Chuck sipped his coffee.

"We have a lawyer?"

"We have 4 or 5 lawyers, we own a company Sarah.'

"Right," she nodded, she had been there, seen it herself.

"We were in the middle of making some changes when everything went sideways, we need to sign some documents. I can probably put it off a little longer though if you want to get more caught up on our finances and stuff."

"I trust you," she shrugged.

"It's a lot of money," Chuck still had a hard time thinking in sums as large as he did.

"I trust you. Just tell me what to sign."

"OK. So you know we have an account set aside for your dad, if he needs it and a college fund for Molly and any of our potential progeny," he grinned.

"Money for my dad, I had money for my dad. Oh god," Sarah looked up in horror.

Chuck just grinned again.

"I drew up a pre-nup?" she cringed.

"You tore it up too. After we got the money we have now we combined everything and set up some accounts as needed for both of our families."

Sarah nodded, it sounded so logical and normal, maybe not the amounts of money Chuck was alluding to, but the process of combining lives. Of being married. She had felt that way in the apartment, both this time and even before when she thought she was on an op. Their apartment was so homey.

"Where is Ellie staying?" Sarah suddenly realized that their guest room was full of stuff and not at all suited for a guest.

"They kept their place, they have temporary housing in Chicago and if everyone agrees on making this…permanent," Chuck said with a sad smile, "they'll finish moving the furniture and stuff in three months."

"You miss her?"

"Do you remember anything about Ellie from before?"

"Not specific things no, just how I feel when I think about her," Sarah admitted remembering earlier about Chuck's hair making funny shapes or something, it was so endearing.

Chuck nodded, he didn't want to push.

"I read the files about your parents, I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that without telling you, but I got my hands on some documents and I just consumed them. I can only imagine that after all you've been through that you and Ellie are very close."

"She gave up so much of a normal childhood to take care of me. The two of you have more in common than you think, you both had to grow up too quickly. Ellie was balancing the checkbook at 12, even when Dad was still there he wasn't really. Ellie cooked and cleaned and made sure I went to school. After Dad left I thought she would break, but she picked us both up again and got herself into UCLA and insisted I apply to the my dream school even though we were barely making ends meet," it was the most Chuck had said at once since the beach and Sarah was enthralled.

"That's amazing," Sarah reached across the small café table and placed her hand over Chuck's which were clutched tight in front of him.

She soothed her hand over his until he released the tension in them and allowed her hand in between his.

"Ellie managed to be both a mom and a sister, it's hard to…"

"You have your own Mother's Day," Sarah remembered being invited that first year, feeling so terrified of Ellie back then.

"We do," Chuck smiled and nodded.

"I look forward to seeing her tomorrow," Sarah assured.

"She'll be very happy to see you too," Chuck raised Sarah's hand from the table to his lips and kissed it softly.

***555***

"It should take about 5 days to file these papers in court," the lawyer explained to Chuck and Sarah.

"Do you expect any problems?" Chuck asked as he reviewed the fine print again.

"No, everything is pretty clear cut. The Buy More sale is final, new owners are already moving in, the funds needed to retrofit Carmichael Industries as independent of that building are allocated, the funds from the CIA have been unfrozen and diversified per your request," the lawyer shrugged as if to say this was an everyday occurrence.

"I'm going to kind of miss the Buy More," Chuck said sadly.

"I am sure they would appreciate your patronage as a customer," the lawyer laughed, snapped his brief case closed and stood from the conference table.

"Chuck, Sarah, good luck," he reached out and shook both their hands before Chuck escorted him out of Carmichael.

Sarah wandered around, she had spent a little time here when they were searching for Quinn, but she was noticing things in a different light now. Things that seemed so Chuck and things that seemed like her, even a her that she remembered. She wound up at the dojo, this felt familiar.

There were lockers at one end of the room and she opened one to find clothes that clearly belonged to Chuck, they were men's and much too big to be Morgan's and too small to be Casey's. She opened the locker next to it and found clothes she were sure belonged to her as the chief female member of Team Carmichael, they were her size and her color preference.

"Sarah?" she heard Chuck looking for her.

"Back here," she replied.

"Should have known," he smirked leaning on the door frame.

He looked good, in just jeans and a polo, he somehow made the outfit seem both casual and professional at once. The way he seemed to make everything he did both adorable and sexy as hell. Sarah shook off the thought of an entirely different kind of workout and glanced at the clock.

"Can I work out?"

"Sure, there is a little changing space and washroom back there," he pointed to the back of the room, "Everything else is pretty self-explanatory."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"I'll go bug Morgan, he's still over at the Buy More during the transition."

"Maybe we could all have dinner," Sarah said cautiously.

"You sure? You don't need to push yourself this hard Sarah," Chuck moved across the mats closer to her.

"It's dinner with friends Chuck, not infiltrating an Al-Qaeda cell," she snorted.

"Old Sarah would have preferred the latter," he wrinkled his nose at her and Sarah laughed out loud.

"That's true. You know how I said I had this feeling about Ellie based on not a whole lot of data?" Sarah asked and Chuck nodded.

"Well, I have remembered a few things about us, about you, but I also have a feeling about you. I know I said I didn't feel it before, but I think I wasn't allowing myself to feel anything. Right now I feel such tenderness for you Chuck, I want to see you smile, I want to make you happy…" she trailed off and held up a hand as he appeared to begin a protest.

"Not because I think I have to, but because, well I'm not explaining it very well. This isn't an op, I am not following protocol here, I am just feeling it all. I love you Chuck, I know it as surely as I know the sky is blue and I want to have dinner with you and Morgan and Alex tonight because it is one of the things I can do to make you happy."

"The fact that you are here makes me happy Sarah."

"Good," she leaned up and kissed him softly, just their lips touching. "Now leave me alone so I can work out."

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Your Lips on Mine P4

"Those are pretty," Sarah smiled from the kitchen as Chuck returned with the take out and some flowers.

If Chuck didn't know what they were going through he would have thought nothing was amiss. Sarah was wearing a dress she wore often, a simple comfortable dress that looked stunning on her, and she was fixing a salad at the counter.

"Not as pretty as you," he placed the large handled paper bag on the counter and kissed Sarah's cheek.

She knew it was exactly the sort of thing he would say to her. She had stopped being surprised by how much she seemed to know this man.

"The oven is warm," she indicated with a paring knife as she finished the salad.

Chuck slipped the tin foil trays of Italian take out into the oven, produced a loaf of crusty bread and a couple bottles of wine from another bag and put the flowers in a vase, adding them to the table Sarah had already set.

"We're pretty good at this," Sarah surmised as she nibbled a slice of cucumber.

"Even though Ellie and Awesome's place is bigger we seemed to always congregate here. We've done this a few times," he confirmed.

"We are so efficient we have about 20 minutes to spare. Wine?" she held up a corkscrew and Chuck took it from her, opening one of the bottles of red he picked up.

"How you doing?" he asked cautiously as he handed her a glass of wine.

"Pretty good," she began and Chuck froze when he noticed the rings on her finger.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"You put your rings back on," he took the wine glass he just handed her away again and held her hand in his.

"I did," she nodded.

Sarah removed her hand from Chuck's and used that hand to cup his cheek, letting him feel the cool of the metal against his face and his eyes slipped shut as she pulled him close and kissed him deeply, the wine long forgotten.

Chuck returned the kiss eagerly, letting his hands fall to her waist, pulling Sarah even closer. So close Sarah could feel the button of Chuck's jeans through the thin material of her dress, she moaned into the kiss and when he pushed her back against the counter she could feel even more pressed against her.

"I really like kissing you," she managed to get out between kisses.

"That's good to hear," Chuck laughed as he effortlessly lifted her on to the counter and managed to shift the skirt of her dress so he could nestle right between her thighs before reattaching his lips to hers. Sarah drew him closer still, locking her long legs behind his back, one sandal slipping from her foot and clattering to the ground.

The feel of her heels at the base of his spine caused Chuck to groan and slide his hands along the front of her dress.

"Oh God," Sarah needed to breathe so she tilted her head back giving Chuck complete access to her long neck.

Just as Chuck made his way to swell of her breasts there was a knock at the door.

"No no no no no," he repeated against her skin, "they are early."

"They do just live next door," Sarah chuckled and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I, um, I need a minute," Chuck grimaced.

"OK, I'll get the door," Sarah smiled, "you have lipstick all over your face."

Chuck blushed deeper. Sarah watched him retreat to the bathroom, wiped the last remnants of her lipstick from her own face and hopped off the counter, righting her clothes, finding her lost shoe and combing her fingers through her own hair.

"Hey guys," Sarah greeted as Morgan and Alex entered.

"Hi Sarah," Alex smiled and handed over a bakery box with a peach pie from her old employer.

"Thanks Alex, Chuck will be thrilled, all I have heard about this afternoon is peach pie."

"Where is Chuck?" Morgan asked.

"Just freshening up, he'll be right out," Sarah smiled calmly, "wine?"

Sarah poured her guests some wine, picking her own untouched glass up as well and taking a long sip to calm the racing of her heart from her few minutes with Chuck. Just like this morning it had taken hardly anything at all to get to a point where Sarah wanted to rip his clothes off.

"You OK, Sarah? You look a little flushed," Alex asked over the rim of her wine glass.

"Oh I'm fine," she smiled as Chuck entered the room, his own face still tinged slightly pink.

Morgan looked between the two of them and smiled.

"They're fine, Alex, this is how they always look when I used to catch them making out on the couch, or in the kitchen or the hallway, against the bathroom door…" Morgan kept listing spots.

"I made salad," Sarah interrupted Morgan's list and grabbed the first course of dinner.

***555***

"I know you don't work there anymore, but the Pie Shack might be my favorite restaurant in all the world," Chuck sighed as he finished his piece of peach pie.

"They make very good pie," Alex smiled.

"You want more?" Sarah held up the knife to offer him a 2nd piece.

"No thanks," he smiled at her and took her free left hand, absent-mindedly running his thumb over her rings.

"Are you picking Ellie up at the airport tomorrow?" Morgan asked.

"No, she wanted to have a car, so she is renting one and meeting us at Castle at noon," Chuck said and everyone in the room could tell he'd rather meet her at the airport.

Ellie had only been gone a short time, but it was a traumatic short time and Chuck would be happy to have her back. Sarah, still nervous about the visit, did what she didn't realize her husband would have done in that same situation, she began cleaning up from dinner.

"I can take care of the dishes," Chuck offered.

"It's OK, you and Morgan go play one of those video games I assume you love so much and Alex and I can talk," Sarah smiled.

"OK," Morgan agreed quickly and went to pick one as Alex shook her head and took some of the dessert plates to the kitchen.

"For the record, we don't generally follow such stereotypical gender roles around here," Chuck grinned.

"I'm sure we don't, but between your knee against mine, your hand on my arm and the look in your eye I need some physical distance if you don't want me to rudely throw our guests out so I can kiss you again," she whispered as she reached across his body to get his wine glass.

Sarah could hear Chuck swallow thickly.

"How about Call of Duty?" Morgan interrupted.

"Sure, buddy," Chuck squeaked as Sarah walked away.

With a background noise of gunfire and their men laughing and plotting, Sarah and Alex made short work of the dishes and the rest of the wine.

"I talked to my dad today," Alex mentioned.

"How is he?" Sarah arched an eyebrow.

"Fine. He won't come out and say it, but he's worried about you."

"I don't remember much about Casey, but he did some very nice things for me these past few weeks," Sarah smiled remembering the mission logs.

"And he's in our wedding photos," Sarah grinned.

"He walked you down the aisle," Alex said quietly.

"He did?" that surprised Sarah.

"Originally you were going to walk yourself down the aisle, your dad wasn't here, but you were…" Alex trailed off.

"I was in the hospital," Sarah picked up the thought and remembered waking up to a frantic Chuck and equally concerned Ellie and Devon.

Sarah then remembered sitting in the bride's room at the church and Casey coming to the door, awkward as always to express any kind of emotion. He told her how happy he was that she was OK, proud of her for making it this far with Chuck, certain she was strong enough to do anything, but if she would like an arm to lean on down the aisle…tears sprung to Sarah's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, I shouldn't have brought it up," a panicked Alex turned to get Chuck away from the video game.

"No, it's fine. It's perfect," Sarah shook off the tears and pulled Alex in for a hug.

"I didn't know you guys before, you were together already when I met you and while I heard plenty of stories from the 'will they/won't they' era from Morgan I just always knew you as a couple. You still look at him the same way," Alex said her hands still on Sarah's arms as they pulled out of the hug.

***555***

"Was that OK?" Chuck asked after Morgan and Alex were gone.

"Morgan married us, you said our kids would be like little super heroes and after you kissed me you dipped me and kissed my neck, we laughed and I couldn't stop kissing you, I wanted to kiss you on that altar forever," Sarah whispered as she turned the lights off and walked back towards their bedroom.

"You remember?" Chuck asked in awe praying she hadn't just watched the video.

"Alex reminded me that her father walked me down the aisle and I remembered talking to him before the wedding and our kiss re-enactment on the beach came into focus, Chuck, and the rest filled in. There are gaps, I am completely unsure how Morgan was qualified to marry us, but I trust it is legally binding," she laughed and Chuck's whole face lit up.

Chuck was so happy he almost missed the moment when Sarah's eyes changed from giddy to passionate. He caught the look though, just as she launched herself at him. She had taken her sandals off earlier and the difference in their height was more pronounced, she leveraged her hands against his shoulders though and practically climbed him to get where she needed to be.

Chuck did his part, his hands finding her bottom and lifting her the rest of the way. One of Sarah's hands slipped below the collar of Chuck's shirt, teasing the skin there with her fingernails as she kissed him deeply.

"Sarah?" Chuck asked with a moan as she tightened her legs around his body.

"Yes?" she replied, breathless, her forehead pressed against his.

"We can't," he tried to reign in his body.

"Yes we can Chuck," Sarah assured him before kissing down to the pulse point at his temple.

"Even if you were ready for this we determined last night you haven't been taking your birth control for weeks," his breath against her skin was turning her on even more.

"I bought condoms, when I got the salad stuff," she whispered in his ear before slipping the lobe into her mouth.

"You did?" he asked in awe pulling back.

They both heard the audible pop of his ear lobe leaving her mouth and that was the end of the conversation. Chuck tossed Sarah gently on the bed before crawling over her. Sarah knew her spy training should kick in and force a shift in the dynamic, Chuck was larger than her and she was giving him an advantage, but she didn't care, she wanted to feel him on top of her. She swiped at one of his legs as she reached up and pulled him down for a kiss.

"Make love to me," she whispered before kissing him.

***555***

"Did that trigger any memories?" Chuck asked later as he ran his fingers through Sarah's hair.

"Not specific ones really. I just feel joy, I don't know, like every time we make love there is laughter and happiness. I feel happy, Chuck."

"Good," he smiled against the top of her head.

"And we seem to know what we're doing, I didn't feel awkward at all. Clearly part of me remembers all of you," she giggled.

"Yes, I'll admit I was a little worried, I didn't want to feel like I was making love to someone else, I wanted to make love to my wife," Chuck said quietly, explaining some of his hesitance earlier.

"And?" Sarah looked up slightly concerned.

"It was amazing," he assured her with a tender kiss.

"Good," she reiterated his earlier sentiment.

"Even our first time, it was never awkward. Which is funny considering how clumsy and bumbling I can be on a regular basis, but despite everything that happened to get us to that point, when the time came we smiled and laughed and had fun."

Sarah settled into Chuck's arms and listened to him talk about their first time in Paris, he left out all the Shaw details, those would come later, but he told her everything about Paris and the train ride to Switzerland.

"It wasn't as if we weren't taking it seriously though," Chuck explained, "we knew how much it meant, how much we fought to have each other, but there was just so much….joy."

"I may not remember all the ways I fell in love with you Chuck, but I do. I love you so much."

TBC…

A/N: Thanks for the continued reviews, glad people are enjoying my post-finale POV. Tomorrow's chapter includes Ellie and I admit being a little afraid of writing her, hope I can do her justice.


	5. Chapter 5

Your Lips on Mine P5

Chuck woke to find Sarah pacing beside the bed wearing nothing but his polo shirt from the night before, at least he hoped that was all she had on.

"Oh good, you're awake," she said as she nibbled a nail.

Chuck turned his head to see the clock, 6:23 am.

"Come back to bed," he mumbled before turning away from the sunlight.

"We have to get going, we have a busy day," Sarah pulled the blankets back to reveal a very naked Chuck.

"Sarah…." He whined.

"We are meeting Ellie in five and a half hours Chuck," Sarah reasoned.

"It takes 20 minutes to get to Castle, less if you're driving," he replied.

"We need to be prepared though," she continued pacing.

Chuck turned back, facing Sarah now, and finding the blankets to snuggle up and Sarah was curious if it was for warmth or modesty.

"I know you are nervous about seeing El, Sarah, but I promise that you have nothing to worry about. Please come back to bed," he held the covers up and scooted to her side of the bed, giving her ample room on his side.

Sarah again noticed the complete and utter lack of clothing on her long tall husband and brought the polo shirt up and off her body. Chuck stared openly at her, her perfect body backlit by the early morning light.

"P-p-please come back to bed," he stumbled over the words this time.

Sarah smiled and slipped into the bed.

"Thank you," Chuck whispered as his long arms wrapped around her, their legs tangled and Sarah's head found a perfect spot in the crook of his neck.

Sarah reveled in the warmth of his body, the way his scent calmed her nerves and the slightly salty taste of his skin as she kissed along his throat, the slight stubble on his jaw tickling against her nose.

"Do you believe in chemistry?" she asked as she tried to coax his lips closer to hers.

"Like 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen makes water?" he grinned.

"Yes Chuck, do you believe in the combination of elements to produce compounds?" she teased.

"So not actual chemistry," he realized they were not going to go back to sleep right away.

"No," she laughed against his skin which prompted him to hold her tighter.

"I have no idea what is happening with my brain, and while the memories I am getting back are great they certainly aren't enough to justify how I feel with you. I am sure at some level I am fully aware of all we've been through and I truly believe we can get it all back, but in the meantime I am just so attracted to you, it has to just be chemistry, right?"

Chuck didn't answer with words, he rolled Sarah onto her back and proceeded to kiss, lick and taste every inch of her body. He spent as much time and effort working his way back up to her face, capturing her lips and kissing her deeply before he proclaimed that he too was very attracted to her. Sarah laughed then, a pure bright sound that filled Chuck's heart with such hope.

"I think I could go back to sleep now," Sarah snuggled into Chuck's pillow, his very evident indication of arousal against her hip.

"Oh really?" he cocked his head to one side.

"Mmmm, I am nice and relaxed now," she continued to tease, even wiggling against him to make sure he knew she knew they weren't done.

"OK," he played along and rolled away from her.

At first Sarah thought he was just being gallant again, but when she glanced back over her shoulder she saw the mirth on his face before she tackled him.

***555***

The alarm sounded and woke them both from their mingled heap. Even with his long arms, Chuck couldn't reach the clock from where he was in the middle of the bed, so he rolled them both, Sarah's body falling limply beneath him with a groan as he killed the alarm.

"That was one way to get my mind off of Ellie," Sarah mumbled into his shoulder and Chuck just laughed.

He tried to untangle their legs, but Sarah hooked a foot around his calf and anchored him to her.

"We should shower," he wrinkled his nose at her, "before meeting my sister. As happy as she will be that we are sharing a bed, I don't think she'll want olfactory proof."

"We could shower together," Sarah suggested.

"We could," Chuck agreed as his lips found her neck.

"Do we both fit in the shower?" Sarah asked honestly.

"Just barely," Chuck laughed.

"We are both above average height," Sarah stated as she stretched her long legs along her husband's longer ones.

"Mmmhmm," he agreed and made no additional move to get out of the bed.

"Giant blonde she-male," Sarah said confused.

"Huh?" Chuck was dozing back off.

"Did someone call me a giant blonde she-male? Was it Morgan?" she narrowed her eyes.

"No, Morgan called you a leggy Valkyrie once," Chuck clarified.

"Hmmm, that's not so bad. Who called me a giant blonde she-male?" she asked.

"A large portion of the population of Thailand," Chuck admitted sheepishly.

"Do I even want to know?"

"It was one of the many many times that you saved me," Chuck smiled and kissed her softly.

***555***

Chuck puttered around Castle, checking computers and answering emails, he was whistling and relaxed. Sarah was sitting at the conference table with her back straight and her eyes fixed on the wall across from her trying to control her breathing.

"Morgan is going to bring sandwiches for lun…" Chuck stopped when he saw how pale Sarah was.

"Sarah, I have seen you go face-to-face with killers twice your size, bombs with seconds left on the timer and cars speeding at us and not look this scared," Chuck crossed his arms and smiled.

"Just getting myself prepared," she replied.

"OK, you need anything?"

"Do we have any Scotch down here?"

"We do, but it isn't quite noon yet," Chuck arched an eyebrow at her.

"Sit with me?" she asked and he took the seat next to her, but as soon as he sat she jumped up and began pacing as she had early this morning.

"Look who I ran into?" Morgan announced as he entered Carmichael Industries with lunch and Ellie in tow.

Sarah froze and Chuck stood from his newly acquired seat.

"Hey, Sis," he made his way to the stairs in three big strides and wrapped Ellie in a hug.

Sarah turned and watched with a smile, the genuine affection between the siblings was touching, she remembered a moment on the side of the road, but her stomach dropped at the memory, it wasn't a happy one.

"Hi Sarah," Ellie said softly, she seemed as skittish as Sarah.

"Hi Ellie. Did you have a good flight?" Sarah fiddled with the cuff of her sweater.

"It was fine," Ellie shrugged.

Chuck and Morgan watched the stilted conversation with concern.

"Morgan got food, I'm sure you're hungry Ellie, they certainly didn't feed you on the plane and it is well past lunch time in your body," Chuck babbled and went to get plates and napkins.

The ritual of lunch did alleviate some of the tension and Chuck kept Ellie talking about Chicago and Clara and Awesome so Sarah just enjoyed her sandwich and listened. When all the food was consumed and the trash collected Chuck clapped his hands together.

"OK, Morgan and I are going to go do something somewhere else and you two are free to talk or start your tests or whatever you need to do. I will be back around 4:00 and we will make a plan for dinner," Chuck announced.

"You're leaving?" Sarah squeaked.

"Yes, I will just get in the way, physically and mentally," he said very sincerely.

"OK," Sarah nodded, resigned.

"I trust Ellie with your life Sarah, you will be fine," Chuck promised and he took her hand in his, pulled her closer and kissed her softly.

Sarah just nodded, their noses bumping as she kept him close and kissed him once more. Sarah realized what Chuck didn't say out loud was he also trusted Sarah with Ellie's life, he truly believed she was his Sarah again. Before she knew it, Chuck and Morgan were gone and Sarah was alone with Ellie.

"So, where do we start?" Sarah took a seat.

"How are you, Sarah? Really?" Ellie furrowed her brow.

"A lot better than I probably should be given the circumstances."

"How so?"

"I probably should be completely freaking out, but I'm not, at least not any more. Chuck found me, he talked to me, he told me our story, he asked me to trust him and I do. Little things are coming back, mostly good things, and I feel safe, at ease with Chuck."

"You clearly seem like you are comfortable together," Ellie observed.

"He's been amazing," Sarah figured complimenting Chuck would win her points with Ellie and she certainly wasn't embellishing.

"He loves you very much."

"And I love him Ellie, I am certain of that."

"You said most of your memories are good, what about the not good ones?"

"I don't have any specific bad memories, but just now when you and Chuck hugged I remembered something and it made me so sad. I don't know what it is though, I just remember you and Chuck hugging each other on the side of the road," Sarah frowned.

"That was when our dad was killed," Ellie smiled sadly.

"Oh God," Sarah gasped.

"I had just found out Chuck was CIA and you weren't just his girlfriend, it was a bad time, the fact that you knew it was a bad memory without really knowing all the facts is interesting."

"It has been that way, I can't always nail the memory, but I know how I feel. I remembered Chuck having longer hair and thought you must have been sad when he cut it…"

"I was!" Ellie laughed. "And I never even told you that, I didn't tell anyone, but it broke my heart, my little brother was all grown up."

"I remember our wedding, most of it any way," Sarah revealed.

"That's wonderful Sarah, you need those happy memories to keep you grounded. How do you feel physically?"

"Fine."

"No headaches? Nausea? Vertigo?"

"No."

"Are you sleeping ok?"

Sarah had to fight a blush as she remembered the night before, there wasn't much sleeping, but it wasn't because she had any problems.

"Yes," simple answers.

"Do you have any physical concerns?"

"Actually, I do. The me of 5 years ago had an IUD and apparently the me of late had switched to birth control pills: having not realized that I hadn't been taking them for the past few weeks. It also seems that I didn't bring them on our last mission, before Quinn took me, and Chuck and I… well we, you know," Sarah laughed nervously.

"So you might be pregnant?"

"Looking at the pack and doing the math, I don't think so, but Ellie there is also a gap of time I was with Quinn and his men," Sarah stared at the conference table.

"Sarah?" Ellie had moved closer.

"There is nothing to indicate that anything happened, but I would like to have a pregnancy test and a full STD panel and straighten out my birth control."

"I'm not a gynecologist. I can take the blood, but you should really see someone."

"I have a gynecologist, according to my phone directory, but it would be really tricky to explain why I can't remember anything, including her," Sarah smiled.

"Of course. I have a really good friend at Westside, she will take care of you. We can go over there together, let me text her," Ellie pulled out her phone.

Sarah refilled their water glasses as Ellie texted back & forth with her friend.

"Her shift ends at 3:00, she can see you then," Ellie turned the phone off and stowed it.

"Thanks," Sarah sighed, relieved.

"I'm sure you know, but until we get all the test results and what not you and Chuck should use condoms," Ellie stated in her best doctor voice.

Sarah went instantly red, years of CIA training out the window at the hands of her sister-in-law. She just nodded.

"It's funny," Ellie began, giving Sarah a second to compose herself, "when you first came to town and started 'dating' Chuck, I thought you two were so in love. I was right, of course, just not the way I thought I was. You were in love back then, but not actually doing anything about it. After I found out and you two were really together I saw the difference."

Sarah had forgotten the embarrassment over the sex talk and was fascinated by Ellie's observations.

"You and Chuck loved each other before, but it was always tinged with this sadness. I chalked it up to the both of you working such ridiculous dead end jobs, you were both way too smart for that, but it was so much more complicated. After everything was out in the open and you two were really together you were both so happy. You both look happy today, I figured you were either having sex already or ready to have sex, that's why I brought it up. Although embarrassing you was an added bonus," Ellie reached over and placed her left hand on Sarah's arm.

Looking down at Ellie's engagement ring Sarah suddenly had another sad memory, it felt like Chuck had been ripped away from her and she also remembered trash.

"Your engagement ring was in a dumpster," Sarah looked up.

"Yeah, Chuck had it at the Buy More and Morgan thought it was for you and took it and there was much hijinks and you and Chuck found it in a dumpster," Ellie gave the modified version of the story that she was told.

"He was so cute and determined to find it," Sarah smiled but she felt exactly what Ellie was talking about, a love tinged with fear and sorrow.

"That is my brother: cute and determined. Let's hook you up to some machines and let me get a look at that brain of yours," Ellie stood and moved back towards the infirmary.

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Your Lips on Mine P6

Ellie finished the brain scans, she had to do some analysis but nothing she saw caused immediate alarm. The women packed up their stuff and Sarah grabbed her phone to call Chuck.

"Hi," he answered quickly after half a ring.

"Hi, everything is fine. Now, don't freak out, but we are going to the hospital and then we'll meet you at home," Sarah said and heard nothing on the other end.

"Chuck?" she looked at the phone to make sure the call hadn't dropped.

"What did you say?" he finally spoke.

"Ellie has a friend at the hospital that can do the other exam," Sarah hedged inherently knowing Chuck was squeamish about gynecologists.

"No, before that."

"Everything is fine here, Ellie ran the scans…"

"No, after that."

Sarah had to retrace her words.

"I said don't freak out," she replied.

Chuck just laughed on the other end, a long light relieved laugh.

"What?"

"That's our thing, we tell each other not to freak out, about like everything," he laughed again, Sarah liked that sound.

"OK, well, good, don't freak out. I'm the one who has an appointment with a speculum," she decided maybe she did like making her husband squirm.

"OK then, have fun and I'll see you guys back at home."

Sarah laughed as she ended the call and noticed Ellie watching her.

"You always said that Chuck made you more like a real girl," Ellie reminded her.

"So I acknowledged that? Good, he does."

"Let's get out of here, I miss the California sunshine," Ellie hooked an arm through Sarah's and they headed over to the hospital.

***555***

"He's convinced he can potty train her," Ellie laughed as Sarah opened the door to her apartment.

The two women stopped at Ellie's place long enough to drop her bags, chatting the whole time about Clara as they sipped giant iced coffees, so caught up that they both missed who was in Chuck and Sarah's apartment.

Sitting at the table with her son-in-law, Emma watched the two younger women and turned to Chuck.

"Are you sure something's wrong with her?" she smiled as her daughter seemed the same happy young woman she saw just a month or so ago.

"Chuck!" Sarah called as she turned and saw the man in question sitting with her mother.

"Mom," Sarah dropped her purse and found a spot for her coffee on the side table.

"Hello sweetheart," Emma rose and embraced her daughter.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah asked, knowing her mom and Molly were safe was some of the best news she learned from Chuck.

"I thought maybe you needed someone from your side of the family," Chuck shrugged as he tossed an arm over Ellie's shoulder, the smile his sister gave him confirmed he had done the right thing.

"Where's Molly?" Sarah asked, still in her mother's arms.

"Funny thing, she really enjoys hanging out with Morgan, so he's babysitting," Chuck grinned.

Sarah leaned back and looked at her mother again as if she hadn't seen her in 5 years instead of 5 weeks, then she let go.

"Hi Ellie," Emma said, her voice slightly watery.

"It's good to see you," Ellie returned the shaky greeting and hugged Sarah's mom.

"I might have misjudged the level of estrogen I was arranging here, where is Casey when you need him?" Chuck joked and Sarah rolled her eyes.

"How about if all these women cook you dinner, would that make it all worth it?" Ellie offered.

"Yes, yes it would," Chuck nodded enthusiastically.

***555***

"So Ellie, tell me something about myself," Sarah asks as she helped prepare dinner with her mother and sister-in-law.

"You got Chuck his degree from Stanford, you didn't have to do that, it was very sweet," Ellie begins.

"I read the file about how he left Stanford and Bryce's involvement and I saw that he now has a degree, I just assumed Stanford corrected the mistake," Sarah stopped what she was doing.

"No, Stanford never would have acknowledged it if you hadn't pulled some strings. You got Chuck's field work transferred to the last credits he needed and that was all before you were a real couple," Ellie used air quotes at the end.

"Well, I am sure he deserved it," Sarah shrugged.

"He did and you helped make him realize he did. Sarah," Ellie stopped what she was doing and moved over next to Sarah, "I know you are concerned about the things you did to hurt Chuck recently, but you have to know how much you have done to help him. My brother is a lot of wonderful things, but confident was never one of them, he had too many people he loved abandon him, you showed him he was worth loving, worth fighting for."

Sarah just nodded and Emma smiled over from the counter where she was fixing a chicken.

"You two fought so hard, multiple times, to stay together. I am so glad you are still fighting for each other," Ellie reached out and pulled Sarah close.

"I know I've only known Chuck for a few weeks, but it is hard not to fall in love with him right away," Emma added.

"Real ballerinas are tall," Sarah smiled.

"What?" Emma asked concerned for the non-sequitur.

"When I first met Chuck, I remember being in the Buy More, oh God," Sarah sunk down to the kitchen floor with a look of wonder on her face.

"I remember, we were talking and this man came in frantic, he had screwed up recording his daughter's ballet recital. Chuck and Morgan set up a green screen and found the music so she could dance and she was nervous, he was so kind to her. She said she always stands in the back because she's tall and he told her real ballerinas are tall."

As Sarah continued to sit on the floor Chuck came home with the few items they had sent him to the store for.

"Hey ladies, where's Sarah?" he asked as he looked into the kitchen.

Ellie pointed to the floor and Chuck moved faster.

"Everything OK?" he asked although no one looked particularly concerned.

"Hey, babe," Sarah smiled brightly up at him.

"Hey," Chuck replied and held out a hand to pull her up.

She took advantage of the leverage and stood tall and kissed him softly.

"What's that for?" he grinned.

"For tall girls everywhere," she winked and Chuck just looked confused.

***555***

"I'd like to meet Molly, again," Sarah mentioned as she and Emma cleared the table.

"Of course. We didn't want to overwhelm you, but Molly talks about you & Chuck non-stop, she would love to see you both again, soon," Emma assures her.

"It is amazing to think of her as more than a baby and I am so glad you are safe now."

"Thanks to you, and Chuck and Casey," Emma grins.

"I know I tried to send you money over the years for Molly, but we have some money now," Sarah fussed with a dish towel still not quite used to having the kind of money she found out about yesterday.

"Chuck offered and I know he already put money away for Molly to go to school, but we're fine honey. Chuck had the house repaired after the fight there and he threw in a few other things like a new roof and a huge swing set in the back yard. He's a good man, your husband."

"I know," Sarah said confident that she was right about that.

"So you guys pick a day and maybe we can all go to the beach, Molly loves the beach as much as her sister does."

"Who is going to the beach?" Chuck asked as he came back for more ice cream.

"Us, with Mom and Molly, soon?" she asked.

"Sure, what guy is going to turn down a beach date with 3 beautiful women," Chuck waggled his eyebrows comically.

"I'll call you with a date then. I should get going and relieve Alex and Morgan from babysitting duties," Emma hung the dishtowel over the sink and leaned over to kiss Chuck's cheek before hugging Sarah.

"Thanks for being here," Sarah says honestly and squeezes her tighter.

"Always good to see you Ellie, take care of my girl," Emma waves and is gone.

"I'm going to head across the courtyard too, time zones are not my friend," Ellie says.

"I made up the bed and there are some groceries in the kitchen," Chuck goes to open the door.

"Thanks, Chuck," Ellie looks impressed. "I'll wake you guys up in the morning, time zones work on both ends of the day."

"Great," Sarah laughs and Ellie is gone.

"You made it," Chuck points out as he takes his wine glass and moves to the couch.

"I did, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but it was good to have some alone time with Ellie, you were right about that. I am happy to have some alone time with you now though," she joined him on the couch and snuggled against his side.

"How was your appointment with Ellie's friend?"

"Fine, she was really nice. She is going to rush the results, I'll have them tomorrow."

Chuck just nodded.

"Can I ask you about a memory?"

"Sure," he kissed her temple as if he was kissing the precious memories she had recovered.

"I remember you finding Ellie's engagement ring in a dumpster, but something about that memory is so sad. What am I missing?"

"I found some bugs at the Buy More, you and Casey realized they were not ours, they belonged to Fulcrum. I'm sure you read about Fulcrum in the files, there was a receiver hidden as well and I was hiding Ellie's ring for Awesome so she wouldn't find it. Long story short a Fulcrum Agent got her hands on both the receiver and the ring, Beckman and Graham sent an agent to extract me."

"They were going to put you in a bunker?" Sarah frowned.

"Yeah, Longshore said it was a nice place, but I am really glad I never had to see it," he kissed her again.

"I said I'd save you later," Sarah whispered and her eyes got glassy with tears.

"And you did. That was early, long before I could defend myself, you fought that Fulcrum agent and fell off the roof. I stopped breathing, but Casey shook me out of it, we ran over and luckily you had both fallen into a dumpster, you knocked her out for good and then you & I picked through the garbage and found the ring."

"I remember standing outside the window and watching Devon propose," Sarah smiled, the tears gone now.

"You were in their wedding."

"Is that the photo of us on the beach, with the bouquet and the blue dress?"

"That was one of them, yes. That is a tale for another day."

Silence fell over the room, both of them lost in their thoughts, unsure what to do next.

"Want to watch a …" Chuck began.

"Let's go to bed…" Sarah said simultaneously.

"Sure we could go…" Chuck replied.

"A movie sounds gre…" Sarah laughed as they did it again.

"Sarah," his voice was so soft and sweet.

Sarah launched herself at him, her lips finding his and kissing him hungrily. Chuck moaned into the kiss and instantly found purchase at the small of her back, his hands sliding under the hem of her shirt and stroking the soft skin there. She arched into the touch which brought their hips together. Needing to feel closer still Sarah slung a leg across Chuck's lap until they were chest to chest.

Chuck pulled away, his breathing clearly affected by their kissing.

"So, what movie did you want to watch?" he grinned.

Sarah just smirked back at him and redirected her lips to his neck until he squeaked and stood up with her in his arms. As he tried to kiss Sarah and maneuver around the furniture Sarah's foot caught the end table next to the couch overturning it, they faintly heard the sound of breaking glass as Chuck's wine glass and a picture frame shattered in their wake.

"We should get that," Sarah appealed half-heartedly as they moved to the bedroom.

"In the morning," Chuck replied as he opened the bedroom door.

In their haste to get to Castle earlier they hadn't made the bed, the sight of the rumpled sheets from their previous activities was enough to stop Sarah mid kiss.

"What?"

"The bed," she smiled still in Chuck's arms.

"I know, I am usually neater than this," he sighed.

"No, it's just that I remember why it looks like this. I remember every moment we spent in this bed the past 24 hours. I trust I will get my old memories back, but Chuck, we are already making new ones."

"Wow," Chuck grinned and before she could reply he tossed her onto the middle of the bed and was crawling towards her.

TBC…

.


	7. Chapter 7

Your Lips on Mine P7/7

Ellie Woodcomb had been awake for hours. It was 8:00 am in California but 10:00 am in her body and she had already had breakfast, worked out, showered, checked in with Devon and played 6 rounds of Candy Crush, so she decided to cross the courtyard and check in on Chuck and Sarah.

She began by tapping lightly on the door and listening, she was a member of a highly trained spy family after all, and hearing nothing she used her key to enter the apartment. She figured she could start breakfast and coax them up with fresh coffee and French toast.

The first thing she noticed was the smell of wine and then she saw the overturned table and broken glass. Her heart rate increased, remembering the cold look in Sarah's eyes when she held a gun on her. She shook that image from her head, Sarah was fine she had seen it herself yesterday, she was coming back, she was Chuck's Sarah again.

Ellie moved quietly towards the bedroom, the door opened just a crack, enough for her to see a lot of Sarah's bare back and disheveled hair draped over Chuck. Sarah's head rose cautiously, one eye open. She visibly relaxed when she saw it was Ellie. Sarah raised a finger to indicate she would be up in a minute and Ellie retreated.

Sarah extricated herself from the bed and Chuck snuffled and rolled over still asleep. Sarah slipped on a pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt and padded out to the kitchen.

"Morning," Sarah smiled as she noticed Ellie standing straight with her arms crossed.

"What happened?" Ellie asked.

"What do you mean?" Sarah's guard was back up.

Ellie pointed through the open kitchen to the mess on the living room floor.

"Did you guys have another fight?" Ellie was nearly shaking.

"No no no, Ellie, no," Sarah shook her head and tried to reassure her sister-in-law.

"Why are we all up so early?" Chuck interrupted the tension as he shuffled in scratching his head.

"Are you OK?" Ellie asked.

"Other than waking up way too early, I am fine," he smiled.

Sarah left the kitchen and grabbed the broom and dustpan, Chuck noticed she seemed to know where they were without asking. She moved to the living room and began cleaning up the glass.

"What's going on?" Chuck sensed the sudden frigidness between the women that were so close just the day before.

"I came in and saw the table and the glass, I thought something bad happened," Ellie sagged.

"I told you we should have cleaned this up last night," Sarah laughed mirthlessly.

"Oh Ell, no, nothing bad happened. We were, umm, well, I was carrying Sarah…"

"To bed, he was carrying me to bed," Sarah interjected.

"We were kind of distracted and we knocked the table over on our way…."

"To bed, we were going to bed," Sarah reiterated.

Ellie just dropped her head.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," she said contritely.

"No, it's my fault, I should have been a grown up and cleaned up the mess last night," Chuck said as he went to help Sarah.

"Chuck, you are the last person at fault here. I knocked the table over…" Sarah assured him.

"Because I was clumsily carrying you to bed," he said as he reached to cup her cheek.

"It wasn't clumsy, it was incredibly hot," she forgot all about Ellie and kissed Chuck hard.

Chuck wrapped his arms around Sarah and as she tried to reciprocate the broom crashed to the floor breaking the spell. Sarah leaned back, their lips the last of them to separate.

"Good morning," Chuck smiled.

Sarah just huffed a laugh.

"Ellie, I am sorry if we scared you and I know it is going to take some time to get over what I did to you, but I promise you I am not going to hurt, owww," she said as she brushed the glass into the dustpan a sliver cut her thumb.

Sarah looked down at the drop of bright red blood on the tip of her thumb, Chuck blanched for a second and Ellie went to the bathroom to find a band aid. The red of the blood reminded Sarah of a coat she had once, the perfect shade of red.

"You saved me," Sarah said softly.

"It's just a little blood, Ellie will fix it," Chuck replied confused by the need for saving.

"On a bridge, I was going to die and you saved me," the weight of the emotion that came with that memory buckled Sarah's knees.

Chuck caught her before she landed in the swept up glass and brought her to the kitchen.

"Chuck, say something, is this not a real memory?" Sarah asked as Chuck ran the faucet and rinsed Sarah's thumb.

"It's real and it's a big one," Chuck said with pain etched on his face.

"Tell me," she forced him to look in her eyes.

"For spies you have crappy first aid supplies," Ellie announced as she came out with an old tube of Neosporin and some oddly shaped band aids.

The look in Chuck's eyes said everything 'later when we're alone' and Sarah nodded.

"Casey always had the medical stuff," Chuck explained.

"It doesn't look deep," Ellie already had Sarah's hand in hers inspecting the cut, but Sarah was still looking at Chuck.

"Thanks Ellie," Sarah tore her eyes from her husband.

"I'm sorry Sarah, I jump to conclusions, I am a worrier," Ellie babbled and it was so much like Chuck that Sarah felt this unending affection.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," was all Sarah could get out before Ellie had finished applying the first aid and had wrapped Sarah up tight in a hug.

By the time the two women stopped hugging Chuck was finished cleaning up the glass, he tied up the trash bag with the glass and indicated he was going to take it out, leaving them alone for a minute.

"Ellie, you have every reason to be skittish around me. The way I behaved, when Quinn brainwashed me, it haunts me, it makes me sick. The idea that I could ever be susceptible to such things again," Sarah just shook her head.

"Knowing that the Intersect that my dad created has now caused so much damage, it scares me. I'm a scientist, Sarah, but everything isn't always black & white. The Intersect has done a lot of good, but I feel like it is my job now to make sure it doesn't do any more harm."

"Who wants coffee?" Chuck asked when he returned and raised his own hand in reply.

"I was going to do that before I caused a scene," Ellie laughed.

"I got it, but if you want to cook breakfast I am sure neither of us will object," Chuck grinned.

***555***

As the 3 of them were sitting down to eat Sarah's cell phone rang indicating a call from Westside Medical Center.

"Sorry, I need to take this," she showed the screen to Ellie who nodded.

"Hello," Sarah said as she moved back to the bedroom.

"I hope she's OK," Chuck sighed.

"Me too."

"If anything did happen to her while she was gone," Chuck's face crumbled.

"You'll get her through whatever it is," Ellie assured him.

Chuck watched as Sarah returned, she had tied her hair up in a ponytail and coupled with her bare feet and the band aid on her thumb she looked so vulnerable. He realized she would kick his ass for thinking that and that made him smile.

"Everything is fine," she smiled back.

"Really?" Ellie asked.

"All the blood work, all the screenings are good. I am, apparently, very healthy."

"And not…." Chuck trailed off.

"Not pregnant, no," she shook her head.

Just like the last time Chuck was simultaneously relieved and disappointed. A part of him would have loved for something good to have come from that train ride that ended so horribly.

"Sarah, this is wonderful news," Ellie grinned.

"Of course just because there is no physical fall out doesn't mean nothing happened. The doctor encouraged me to see a psychologist," Sarah chuckled ironically.

"It's not a bad idea, all things considered. I can talk to Beckman, I am sure the CIA would let you see Dryfuss, he's a little fussy, but good and he understands the Intersect," Chuck mentioned.

Sarah just nodded and speared some French toast with her fork.

"I think I have done enough damage for one morning," Ellie grinned, "I am going to run over to Westside, as good as Castle is I need some more equipment to really analyze those scans, Sarah."

"OK, do you need me."

"No I think I got all I need yesterday. I'll call you guys later and we can discuss my findings over dinner?" Ellie offered.

"Sure, thanks Ell," Chuck stood and kissed his sister's cheek.

Once Ellie was gone and Sarah had cleared the breakfast dishes Chuck smiled.

"Can we go back to the part of the morning where we were naked in bed together?"

"Sure," Sarah agreed and pulled her tee shirt off over her head.

Chuck just stared at his topless wife.

"Had I gotten modest at some point?" Sarah suddenly felt silly.

"No, I always stare at you like that, sorry."

"Let's go to bed, you have a story to tell me."

Stripped down to pretty much naked, Chuck and Sarah climbed back into bed and curled around one another.

"This story is a big one Sarah, it starts long before what you remember on the bridge and it is both the end of part of us and the beginning of what we are now," Chuck hinted.

Sarah nodded against his chest to indicate he should continue.

"Once again the intersect messed up our plans, this was the day of Ellie's wedding…." Chuck began to tell the long story of his downloading the 2.0 and Prague and what led to Daniel Shaw. He had glossed over this on the beach, but now he went in to all the sordid details.

"I wanted a real life," Sarah remembered suddenly the moment on the platform in Prague.

"I know and I am so sorry I walked away that day, but if we had run then we never would have what we have now, we would have been alone and sure we would have been together, but the way it worked out we got to be together and still keep our life here," Chuck explained.

He went on to try and explain Hannah and Daniel and how they both knew the other still loved them, but there was so much hurt and anger.

"That brings us to…"

"The mint ice cream," Sarah remembered her first real solid memory.

"This is kind of like putting a really big jigsaw puzzle together," Chuck laughed.

"You and I both trusted Shaw, even Beckman did and if it wasn't for Morgan noticing Shaw was pulling his punches in the footage of his supposed take down of the Ring agents you might not be here right now," Chuck squeezed her a little tighter.

"I guess that makes up for the missing condom in Barstow," Sarah smiled.

"Yeah," Chuck laughed again, he didn't think telling this part of their story would have so many laughs.

Chuck got to the part on the bridge, the partial memory Sarah found earlier and explained it all, his terror and his sorrow when he had to end Shaw's life.

"I didn't actually kill Shaw, he would up surviving, but I thought I did and it made me sick, but there was no choice Sarah, I never would have made a different choice," he looked down at her on his chest, his own eyes full of tears and hers full of love.

"Shut up and kiss me," she whispered.

TBC…

A/N Thanks again for all the kind reviews, I am having fun with Chuck and Sarah. There may be a few days before the next post though as I am heading to the woods of Maine where I may or may not have time and WiFi, but I will continue this as soon as I can.


	8. Chapter 8

Your Lips on Mine P8

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, my college reunion turned out to be much busier than expected, hope this was worth waiting for.

***555***

"Where did we go on our honeymoon?" Sarah asked lazily as she ran her fingers along Chuck's neck, his skin warm and damp.

Morning had moved into afternoon and Chuck and Sarah were still in bed, neither wanting to break the hold of their passion. For Sarah it was a rediscovery and for Chuck a reassurance, but in either case as soon as they finished one of them would automatically reach out again. Chuck found a chance in her question to sneak out of the room for a second to use the bathroom and get them some water.

"Hawaii, there are pictures," he began to slide out from under her, one foot finding purchase on the floor.

Sarah made a grumbling noise of displeasure and he froze.

"I'll be right back," he said so sincerely and kissed her deeply.

The kiss almost turned into more, but Chuck pulled back, their lips separating with a wet smacking sound that was loud in the quiet room.

"Just a minute," he promised again and stood looking for his pajama pants.

Chuck was really not sure where their clothes had been flung, so for time's sake he walked to the dresser and got a new pair.

"Why are you putting on clothes if you'll be right back?" Sarah asked as she took advantage of the empty bed to stretch her long limbs enticingly.

"Ellie already let herself in here once today, I am not running into my sister without my pants on," Chuck grinned.

"You are so cute," Sarah wrinkled her nose at him.

"Years of living with my sister has made me modest," Chuck shrugged.

He looked back over his shoulder as he walked out of the room, imprinting the image of Sarah barely draped in a sheet on his mind before he went about his tasks.

Sarah waited for Chuck by organizing the images that had flooded her mind while they made love, she could picture her and Chuck in Paris after he told her the story of Daniel Shaw and she remembered what seemed like constant sex on a train. Chuck had told her about their mini vacation through the French countryside and she smiled, she felt that and she felt that same way now, like they just needed each other desperately.

"Water?" Chuck handed her a tall glass already frosted to indicate how cold it was.

"Thank you," she smiled and took it and drank it down quickly.

"Thirsty?" he smirked and she hadn't realized he was watching her.

"Did you want some?" she squeaked and held the empty glass out.

"Nah, I had plenty in the kitchen," he assured her and handed over a small photo album.

Sarah was happy when Chuck took his pajama pants off before climbing back into bed. He pulled her to him and once again they were wrapped around each other as Sarah opened the album. The first photo was the 2 of them still in their wedding clothes with beautiful flower leis around their necks.

"You want to receive top quality service on an airplane, fly with a woman in a wedding dress," Chuck laughed.

"We look so good together," Sarah traced her fingers over the photo.

"I clean up OK," Chuck shrugged.

"You're beautiful," Sarah said seriously as she kissed him.

The next photo was a shot of a beautifully appointed multi room bungalow.

"There was a really loud bird," Sarah remembered.

"Yes there was," Chuck beamed.

He flipped a couple pages ahead and sure enough there was a picture of a large colorful bird.

"I called him Larry and he always woke us up," Sarah said softly.

"To be fair we weren't really keeping natural sleeping hours," Chuck bounced his eyebrows for effect and it worked as Sarah giggled.

The album was small, a few snapshots of them on a beach, on a hike, near a volcano and dressed up for dinner.

"We spent most of our time in bed," Sarah wasn't sure if it was a memory or she just knew it.

"I didn't want to let go of you. You had just been so close to dying before the wedding…"

"Like on the train after Paris," she mentioned.

"You remember the train?"

"Not all the details, but enough."

"That was even more heightened than the honeymoon. Not only had you almost died, but we had just finally gotten together. That was our initial discovery of what this could be," he illustrated by running his large warm hand from her neck over her shoulder and along the curve of her side, landing on her hip and cupping her there, pulling her close.

They heard the album thump against the floor as Chuck rolled her on top of him.

"This is both familiar and new," she sighed as she arched in to his every touch.

"It has always been like this for us Sarah, it has always felt this remarkable," he moaned when she joined their bodies together.

"How did we ever get any work done?" she giggled as she shifted to lean closer and kiss him.

"Remind me to tell you about the supply closet," Chuck's laugh turned into a deep purr as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

***555***

The next time Sarah woke she was alone and the light in the room was different, softer. Her stomach protested its emptiness and her body was both soft and sore. She could hear Chuck and Ellie talking. She threw on her robe and gathered some clothes and took to the bathroom to clean herself up. She was going to make the bed, but most of the blankets were in a tangled heap so she just closed the door behind her.

Refreshed and hungry she moved to the kitchen.

Ellie waved from her spot leaning against the counter.

"Hey babe," Chuck greeted her with a big smile and a soft kiss.

"Hey, you should have woken me," Sarah kept an arm around his waist and pressed him close.

"We had nowhere to be and you looked so peaceful," Chuck's cheeks were tinged the slightest pink as he remembered the energy they expended before falling asleep.

"Mmmm," Sarah agreed, the hand at his waist finding the hem of his tee shirt and stroking the skin she could uncover there discreetly.

"Well, if you two can drag yourselves away from each other, I need to talk to Sarah first, alone," Ellie interrupted.

"Oh?" Chuck's voice was a little high.

"I have nothing bad to tell her, Chuck, but I do want to start with just Sarah."

"Isn't there a Thai place nearby?" Sarah asked with a smile.

"Yes, you love their…"

"Choo-chee curry," Sarah remembered and Chuck smiled wider.

"Good idea, Chuck go get our regular order from Lemongrass and by the time you come back we can all discuss the next steps," Ellie patted Chuck on the shoulder and turned to get plates and silverware to set the table.

"You OK?" Chuck asked before leaving Sarah alone with Ellie.

"I'm fine Chuck, we are fine. I feel like whatever Ellie tells me, we can get through it together. From everything I do remember I know this, we don't give up easily and we take care of each other, that alone is enough," she promised him and was rewarded with a huge smile, the one she knew existed in Chuck Bartowski somewhere.

"Be back soon," he kissed her again.

Sarah stood watching Ellie move about the room setting places and finding napkins.

"Sorry," Ellie stopped when she noticed Sarah watching. "It's just…."

"Bartowskis clean when they're anxious, I remember," Sarah grinned.

"Sarah, you are fine, physically," Ellie began.

"That's good right?"

"Yes, of course it is, but it limits what we can do to retrieve your lost memories. If there was something medical, something obviously repressing your memories, damage to your brain - we could chart a course of action."

"So what are you saying?"

"Getting your memories back is not going to happen quickly and I am not the Bartowski who can really help you," Ellie sighed.

"Well Chuck is committed to whatever needs to be done, so we just go slow. Is there any risk to waiting?"

"Physically, no, but it may get tough emotionally."

"I meant what I just said to Chuck, I remember enough to know we help each other. I have faith he will help me through this no matter how hard it is," Sarah tugged on the cuff of her long sleeve tee shirt.

"So you will stay and work through all this?"

"Of course. I'll see the shrink Chuck mentioned earlier and make Chuck show me every picture and tell me every story."

"You might not ever remember it all."

"Well, that would be sad, but not tragic. Tragic would be losing Chuck."

"He loves you so much," Ellie reinforced.

"I know," Sarah looked her sister-in-law in the eye and both women smiled.

"Then let's open some wine," Ellie turned back to the kitchen.

By the time Chuck returned with the food Ellie and Sarah were laughing and on their 2nd glass of wine.

"So Chuck was off God knows where and Jeffster show up to rehearse and blow the amp. I'm already stressed to the max about leaving for Africa without seeing Chuck and now we have a Nerd Herd emergency," Ellie laughs.

"My husband is a handy fellow to have around, and if it makes you feel any better Chuck was off saving my life," Sarah nodded.

"I know that now. And it turns out, without the keytar and the amp, Jeffster isn't half bad," Ellie admits.

"I remember them playing at the Buy More once, some '80s song…"

"Africa, by Toto," Chuck interrupted, startling both women.

"My man, with food no less," Sarah gave him a small shy smile.

"I got extra spring rolls, because you always eat mine," he gently reminded her.

"I do love spring rolls," she confirmed.

"Everyone loves spring rolls," Chuck parried.

"You two are so adorable," Ellie gushed and Chuck rolled his eyes.

"She says that a lot?"

"Yes, it is less annoying now that we are actually a couple, but it used to drive me nuts when we were just a cover couple," Chuck filled in.

Sarah nodded, curious about their cover couple days. If her mission logs were any indication it was as tough on her as it was on Chuck, damned CIA and their rules.

"So what did I miss?" Chuck asked.

Ellie filled Chuck in on the medical findings or lack thereof.

"How did Quinn suppress the memories then?"

"Whatever it was it was either visual or psychological, or both, it was not done by tampering with her brain, thank God."

"If everything is fine, why was I sent away?" Chuck asked nervously.

"I wanted Sarah to really consider the implications of the situation. While this is good news it is still a lot to take in and process."

"You wanted her to be able to run away if she wanted to?" Chuck accused.

"I wanted her to make a clear decision."

"You know we can get through this, right?" Chuck asked his wife.

"Yes," she said simply and took the spring roll off his plate.

***555***

"I'm going back to Chicago tomorrow," Ellie said as she and Chuck put away the leftover Thai food.

Sarah had offered to go get ice cream, giving the Bartowski siblings some privacy.

"You just got here," Chuck lamented.

"You guys don't need a neurologist anymore and I miss my baby," Ellie replied.

"I appreciate you being here for me, for us," his hands found their way into his pockets and he hunched his shoulders in a way that made Ellie remember a too-tall 10th grader.

"I will always be there for you Chuck, I promise," Ellie fought the nostalgia and emotion that came with it as she hugged her little brother.

TBC…


	9. Chapter 9

Your Lips on Mine P9

"Look who followed me home," Sarah announced as she and Morgan returned to the apartment to find Ellie and Chuck talking quietly at the table.

"Hey, buddy," Chuck smiled.

"I smelled ice cream," Morgan admitted.

"Well luckily I couldn't decide on a flavor, so there is plenty," Sarah put the heavy white bag on the table.

There were bowls and spoons out, but Ellie jumped up to get a fourth while Sarah unpacked her bounty.

"Mint chocolate chip," she began and Chuck and Morgan smiled.

"Peach," she read from the scrawl on the carton.

"My favorite," Ellie said softly, unsure if Sarah remembered or if it was luck.

"And what I hope Chuck knew as my favorite and not a metaphor, Rocky Road."

Chuck stared at his wife with a twinkle in his eye and the smallest of smiles.

"Did you just make a joke? Sarah Walker Bartowski, are you funny after all?" he stood and wrapped his arms around her.

"This is not proof that I'm a cannibal though," she feigned struggle against his arms.

"You remember that?" he stopped squeezing her and turned her to look in her eyes.

Sarah just nodded and Chuck kissed her, his hands threading into her hair, pulling her closer and deeper into him with every moment.

"If history serves, this could go on for a while," Morgan pointed at the couple and Ellie began scooping ice cream.

"I remembered that first date when we were in Germany, but thought it couldn't be real, it seemed so crazy and you seemed so different," Sarah began talking to Chuck like he was the only person in the room.

"I changed a little in 5 years," he smiled.

"You did and as I have begun to realize that these past few days I have begun to believe that I had too. It seemed so crazy to me that I would fall for an asset, that I would go against the CIA as much as the files said I did to protect you, that I would want a house and kids, but when I remember the you of 5 years ago and see the you today I realize that is how it works, people change."

"Full disclosure, I am still a total nerd," Chuck cringed.

"Good," Sarah smiled and kissed him again.

Finally Morgan cleared his throat. When that didn't work he pinched Chuck's arm.

"Oww!"

"Charles, not in front of the children," Ellie said pointing the ice cream scoop at Morgan.

"Sorry," Sarah had the good manners to blush and duck her head against Chuck's chest.

Everyone sat and large servings of ice cream were doled out. Ellie told Morgan she was leaving, but assured everyone their temp housing in Chicago had plenty of room for guests.

"Do you think you will make it permanent?" Chuck asked cautiously.

"Honestly, it is too early to tell and I have been a little preoccupied. Devon is doing really well, everyone loves him," Ellie smiled proudly.

"Of course, what's not to love?" Morgan said enthusiastically.

"I know you don't like the idea Chuck, but it might be really good for us," Ellie reached over and squeezed his hand.

"I might have gotten a little overly-reliant on you these past 31 years," Chuck shrugged.

"You're going to be just fine Chuck," Ellie promised.

When the ice cream was gone and Ellie and Morgan had headed home for bed, Chuck led Sarah to the couch and sat, allowing her to stretch out and nestle her head in his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair until she purred like a cat.

"What do we do now?" Chuck asked.

"I think a trip is a good idea," Sarah said and she instantly felt Chuck's legs clench and his fingers freeze in her hair.

"Together, Chuck, I think we should go somewhere, away from Burbank and just relax together. If we know I am physically OK, we can take some time for each other," Sarah explained and Chuck slid his fingers from her hair and framed her face, he looked deep into her blue eyes.

"Really?"

"Really, let's go somewhere beautiful but quiet and spend long days in bed. A third first honeymoon," she grinned at their odd temporal logic.

"Sarah, you don't need to convince me, although the long days in bed is a good selling point for future reference, I will go anywhere in the world with you."

"I want to see Molly first, have our beach day. If we can avoid letting her know there was a problem, keep things normal for her I would like that," Sarah found a thread loose on the hem of Chuck's tee shirt and wrapped it around her finger.

"Sure, weather is supposed to be good the rest of this week."

"I'll call Mom in the morning."

Just as Sarah said it Chuck's phone rang startling them both.

"Is that her?" Sarah asked wondering if her mother was psychic.

"Ha, no, different authority figure," Chuck smiled and showed Sarah the phone.

"Hello General," Chuck answered.

"Hello Chuck, I got your message about Doctor Dreyfuss and of course you and Sarah may see him whenever you like, he will be expecting your call."

"Thank you General."

"I was wondering if you both might be willing to make a trip to DC, I have a few things to discuss with you and I realize I can't order you around anymore, but it would mean, well, it would mean a lot to me to see Sarah and make sure she is really OK," the General sounded truly concerned.

"I'll talk to Sarah," Chuck said and Sarah's eyes widened.

"I hope to see you both soon, good night."

"Good night, General."

"Talk about what?" Sarah sat up from his lap and curled her legs under her.

"Not sure, Beckman wants us in DC," Chuck worried his bottom lip.

Sarah hated seeing Chuck concerned or nervous so she coaxed his bottom lip out from his teeth with her own lips, kissing him softly at first but with increased enthusiasm as he pulled her body flush against his.

"We'll talk about that tomorrow," she informed him as his hands found their way to the small of her back, one of them dipping into the waistband of her jeans.

"How did we not do this for two and a half years?" Sarah asked in a breathy voice between kisses.

"A lot of really big things happened, on a regular basis, to distract us. At the time we only thought we knew what we were missing, the reality was so much better than anything I could have imagined, so once we were together we just made sure we found the time."

"Enough talking," Sarah pouted and took Chuck's lips back for her own use.

Chuck laughed and stood with her in his arms.

"Watch out for the furniture this time," Sarah giggled as she hung on to Chuck.

The sound of her laugh spurred Chuck faster and in just minutes the two of them fell in a tangled heap on the messy bed.

"I was going to make this earlier," Sarah explained.

"Two days in a row we failed to make the bed, we are becoming lazy," Chuck said seemingly unconcerned for the state of their bedroom as he shed his shirt flinging it somewhere to find its mates from the day before.

They rolled and shifted so each of them could undress, Chuck insisting on helping Sarah with her hard to remove bra.

"I got it," he pulled her up and slid a hand to her back to find the clasp as his lips found a delightful spot on her collar bone.

"Oh, you were going to tell me about the supply closet," Sarah reminded him.

"Now, you want a story now?" he asked as he pressed their lower bodies together and watched her eyelids flutter.

"OK, later, but remember," she began working on the button of his jeans.

"Trust me, I couldn't possibly forget the supply closet," the words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying.

Sarah's hands froze at his waist.

"Sarah," he said softly.

She just shook her head.

"I am so sorry," he proceeded any way.

"It's OK," her voice seemed so small.

"No, no it's not. I should have been more careful with my words, that was…" Chuck stood up, pulling away from her.

He looked delicious, his hair a little messy and a red mark on his bare shoulder where Sarah had been feasting. Sarah was equally mussed, lying topless on the bed, her hair fanned out behind her, her lips wet and swollen. Chuck closed his eyes tightly and walked out of the room.

Sarah sunk into the bed further, let him go. She listened closely and didn't hear the door, so she knew he hadn't gone far. Finally she heard something far worse. Grabbing his discarded tee shirt to cover herself she padded out to the living room and watched Chuck's shoulders moving as he sobbed into a throw pillow.

It might have hurt less if someone had just punched her, watching Chuck cry like this was physically painful.

"Chuck," she said softly, not wanting to startle him.

His shoulders stopped and he put the pillow on the floor, she could tell he was rubbing his eyes, wiping his face free of the wetness, but when he spoke the sorrow was so obvious.

"I'm sorry, Sarah."

"Please stop apologizing," she moved a tiny bit closer, like approaching an injured animal that might flee or attack.

"I'm not sure what's wrong with me," he tried to laugh, but it was watery and weak.

"Ellie said this was going to be emotionally difficult."

"I thought she meant for you," he turned when she was right behind him, her hand on its way to his bare back.

"When has anything between us just been for you or for me, haven't we always kind of been an us?" she perched on the arm of the couch, rubbing his back gently as he wept softly.

"You've been so strong for me Chuck, this was inevitable."

He just nodded and she moved closer still, wiggling her way into his embrace. His face was hot and wet against her neck, his breath quick and his hands shaky against her sides. Sarah subtly maneuvered them to a horizontal position on the couch, reaching up to grab the blanket from the back of the couch and before either could speak again they were both asleep.

***555***

Sarah woke the next morning alone on the couch, the instant panic she felt made her feel so badly for Chuck, how he must have felt all these weeks waiting for her to leave him. She sat up quickly and exhaled when she saw Chuck sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning," he smiled.

"Morning," she brushed her hair back and stretched.

"We are too tall and too old to sleep on that couch, fyi," he indicated a bowl and spoon for her on the table.

"Good morning," Sarah repeated when she got to Chuck and kissed him softly.

"Sorry about my little melt down last night," he looked into his Cheerios.

"It's OK," she assured as she fixed her cereal.

"I haven't cried that hard since…."

"Your dad died, I remember," Sarah reached out for his hand.

"See now there is one memory you don't necessarily need back," he frowned.

"I remember holding you in bed and being so relieved when you did actually cry, you seemed so lifeless Chuck, you needed the catharsis," she rubbed her thumb against his.

"I didn't want to scare you, Sarah, then or now. I know you have been trained to handle your emotions better than that," Chuck pulled his hand back and Sarah reclaimed it quickly.

"Chuck, if the Han Solo action figures didn't scare me away then a few tears certainly won't," Sarah grinned and got the smile she was hoping for in return.

"I love you," he pulled their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"I love you too, Chuck. Always have, always will."

TBC…


	10. Chapter 10

Your Lips on Mine P10

A couple days later Chuck was relaxing in a beach chair when Emma came to sit beside him.

"How are you doing?" she asked as she fished a cold bottle of water out of the cooler.

"We're good," Chuck smiled as he watched Sarah and Molly collecting shells at the water's edge.

"That's not what I asked. How are YOU doing?"

"I have my moments of terror and self-pity, but mostly I am good," Chuck admitted.

"I know this isn't the Sarah you married, but she also isn't the Sarah of 5 years ago that left Molly with me and turned back to the CIA."

"I know that and better yet, she knows that. It is frustrating though, to feel like we are starting almost from scratch," Chuck picked at the label on his water bottle.

"It'll make you stronger," Emma tried.

"I felt perfectly strong before," Chuck grinned.

"I know I don't know you that well and I hope this goes without saying, but don't give up on her."

"Never, Emma, never. Too many people gave up on me, I could never do that to her."

"You were meant to find each other," Emma smiled.

"It is all linked you know, after what she went through to save Molly her next assignment was me. If she hadn't done what she did she might still be in Europe, away from both of us," Chuck explained.

"I'm so happy to have her back."

"Me too," Chuck smiled as Sarah and Molly approached.

"Chuck, we found a sea urchin," Molly squealed.

"Really? Cool, I wanna see," Chuck leaned forward to look in the bucket and Sarah leaned against his shoulder, from his angle in the low chair he turned and placed a soft kiss on her thigh before glancing in the bucket.

Sarah's hand found his hair and played with the mess there Chuck had been swimming earlier and the salt water had wreaked havoc on his curls, Sarah loved the texture though as she raked her nails along his scalp. Chuck finally had to tear his eyes from Molly's bucket of sea treasures to look at his wife.

Sarah laughed at the pleading look on his face.

"Sorry," she said although she didn't really sound sorry, she did move her hand from his head to the back of his neck.

"Sea shell hunting is hungry work, right Molly?" Sarah asked.

"I'm starving," the girl declared.

"Starving?" Emma reacted with mock horror.

"Yes," Molly confirmed.

"Well then, we need sandwiches, stat," Emma hopped up and retrieved lunch from another cooler in the mini city they had created on the beach.

Sarah found a chair and pulled it next to Chuck.

"Having fun?" she asked as she leaned in to kiss him.

"Yes," he smiled into the next kiss.

"You guys kiss way too much," Molly sighed.

"Oh?" Sarah asked with an arched eyebrow.

"It's gross," Molly wrinkled her nose.

"You won't think so in a few years," Sarah teased.

"Sarah!" Emma and Chuck reprimanded at once and Sarah just grinned innocently.

"She won't," Sarah shrugged.

"I like kissing people, but not like that," Molly pointed at the offending couple.

"We'll try to control ourselves," Sarah laughed and Chuck pouted.

"I said try," she kissed him softly and then moved to get a sandwich.

When Molly continued to look repulsed Chuck stuck his tongue out and she broke into a fit of giggles.

"Chicken salad or ham & cheese?" Sarah asked.

"Chicken salad please," he replied and she tossed him a sandwich.

"Chuck and I are taking a little vacation," Sarah mentioned as she passed around chips to go with the sandwiches.

"Oh?" Emma asked.

"We have to take care of some business in DC, so we are going to go to Bermuda for a couple weeks," Chuck mentioned.

"That's quite a vacation," Emma smiled.

"We need a little alone time," Sarah shrugged.

"For kissing?" Molly interjected.

"Yes," Sarah responded.

"Yuck," Molly replied with a complete body shiver.

"Isn't it cold in Bermuda in February?" Emma asked.

"Well it won't be hot, but it should be in the 60's or even 70's if we're lucky," Chuck smiled.

"Less tourists in the off season and we can keep each other warm," Sarah grinned.

"I think it's a great idea," Emma nodded.

"Do they have a beach in Bermuda?" Molly asked.

"Lots of them, Bermuda is an island, do you know what that means?" Chuck asked.

"It has water all around it," Molly was suddenly more interested in this vacation plan.

"You're a smart kid," Chuck poked her with his toe.

"And the sand in Bermuda is pink," Sarah added.

"No way," Molly shook her head.

"It is, I'll bring you back some," Sarah promised.

"Will you be back for my dance recital?" Molly asked and Chuck's eyes shifted quickly to Sarah.

Between the initial reconnecting with Emma & Molly and Quinn's eradicating of her memories they had agreed to go to Molly's dance recital. Chuck was certain Sarah didn't remember that and they were trying to keep Sarah's memory loss from Molly. Luckily Sarah was still a well-trained spy who could not be flummoxed by a 6 year old.

"Chuck?" she asked seemingly about the dates.

"Yes Molly, we will be back before your recital," Chuck promised and Sarah smiled.

"Oh good, I told my friends you were coming," Molly smiled shyly.

Sarah was pretty sure Molly had a little crush on Chuck, but really who could blame her.

When she finished her lunch Molly lay under the umbrella with a book and was soon sound asleep.

"Take a walk with me?" Sarah asked as she held her hand out to Chuck.

"Sure," he allowed her to pull him out of the sand chair.

"We won't be long," Sarah told her mother who waved them off and indicated her own book would keep her occupied.

Sarah put a floppy hat on her head and had Chuck reapply some sunscreen to both of them before they headed down along the water's edge.

"Thanks for covering with Molly on the dance recital thing," Sarah mentioned as a wave lapped over her feet.

"No problem, we will be back for the recital, I just forgot all about it until she said something."

"You've been a little pre-occupied," Sarah swing their joined hands.

"When we get back we'll need to start getting back to real life though, work and commitments," Chuck began.

"More taco nights and less evil cabals?" Sarah teased.

"That too," Chuck smiled.

"That's OK."

"You sure?" Chuck still had a fear that this Sarah wasn't quite ready to keep house.

"Yes," she said definitively.

"Of course, Beckman could put a wrench in all of this."

"We don't work for her anymore," Sarah shook her head.

"I still have the Intersect," Chuck tapped his temple.

"Mmmm," Sarah nodded.

"I want to keep it," Chuck admitted.

"For CI?"

"Partly and partly because I seem to be the only human who can really handle it, there has to be a reason for that."

"As long as it doesn't cause you any physical problems," Sarah acquiesced.

"But if I have it and I don't help the government, isn't that selfish? And if I go back to work for the CIA then we are back to constant danger and less taco nights," Chuck sighed.

"Let's wait and hear Beckman out next week and then we can discuss our options during our 2 weeks in paradise," Sarah reasoned.

"Your mom is right, it isn't going to be very warm. Would you rather go somewhere else?"

"No, I like the idea of a less populated resort. Did you see that room we booked?"

"It's bigger than the apartment," Chuck laughed.

"Think of all the places I can kiss you," she teased and Chuck blushed at the perceived double entendre.

"I do have a list," he surprised her with his cheeky response.

"In any particular order?" she leaned up to speak quietly.

In her bare feet Sarah was considerably shorter than Chuck so he met her half way and kissed her soundly.

A high pitched squeal broke them apart and Chuck looked down to see a toddler moving very quickly towards the water, his pregnant mother struggling to catch up.

"Lincoln, stop please," she said loud enough for him to hear but not quite shouting.

Chuck and Sarah were ankle deep in the water, the tide having come in a little during their walk, but even ankle deep is too much for a toddler if he falls face first. Chuck let go of Sarah and scooped Gavin off his feet. The child protested at first, but when he looked at Chuck and Chuck smiled and the kid smiled right back. Disaster averted.

Sarah couldn't explain what was happening, but suddenly she remembered a list of boy names that began with "L".

"Lincoln?" Chuck asked as the woman caught up.

The little boy nodded and giggled.

"Thank you. I turned around for one minute," she tried to explain and push the long strand of hair from her pony tail off her face.

"It's OK, I got him," Chuck hoisted the boy on to his hip while the pregnant woman caught her breath and Sarah lost hers.

"Lincoln, Momma said to wait for Daddy before you went in the water," the woman spoke slowly and ran a hand over the boy's soft hair.

"Sorry," he said and shyly hid his face in Chuck's shoulder.

"It's OK, but back up to the blanket until Daddy is back from the car," she said and she reached for him.

"I can walk him up for you," Chuck offered and the woman smiled.

"Be right back," Chuck smiled at Sarah and kissed her before heading up the beach.

When he returned Sarah was crouched down in the ankle deep water, sifting through the sand as the waves ebbed and flowed.

"Back," he announced so as not to startle her.

He crouched down to her level and luckily had enough balance to keep them upright when she launched herself at him.

"I remember thinking about baby names," she said as she shifted to a kneeling position, the sand prickling at her knees.

"Oh Sarah," he sighed into her salty hair.

***555***

"You sure you can hold down the fort?" Chuck asked as he finished a few things at CI.

"Of course I can, who do you think you are talking to?" Morgan asked.

Chuck just looked at him.

"Right, I've had my moments, but I am totally on top of this. We have a client that needs a back ground check done and a couple of potentials that need intro interviews, I can totally handle that and the Buy More hand over," Morgan assured him.

"Good, I need this time with Sarah, but not at the risk of the business," Chuck stressed the importance.

"I also know how to get ahold of Casey if anything really bad goes down, like some shadowy government renegade finds his way into Castle."

"I wish you were kidding, but that has happened a half a dozen times or so," Chuck laughed.

"You just take your gorgeous wife to Ankle Beach or wherever you are going…."

"Elbow beach," Chuck clarified.

"I have it written down somewhere," Morgan promised.

"Thanks, buddy," Chuck clapped him on the shoulder as he stood from the computer and cracked his back.

"Anything for you man, you know that."

"I do," Chuck smiled as the door opened and Sarah made her way down the stairs.

"Hey guys."

"Hey, babe," Chuck smiled, "you all packed?"

"I am. My toothbrush and all my lingerie are in a bag," she teased.

"And which of those lacy pieces are you planning to wear to meet with Beckman tomorrow?" Chuck grinned.

"OK, you caught me, I packed a couple of other things," she shrugged.

"I have to get back up to the Buy More, you two kids have fun," Morgan hugged them both before leaving.

"Everything OK here?" Sarah asked as she circled the conference table.

"It is," Chuck nodded.

"Our bags are in the car, we have a couple hours before we have to be at the airport," Sarah glanced at her watch.

"Want to grab some dinner before the red eye?"

"Probably a good idea, but I was hoping you might want to show me the supply closet…"

"Come here," he held out his hand as his eyes roamed her entire body.

Normally Sarah would find that kind of head to toe observation unsettling at best and repulsive at worst, but not when the observer is Chuck. After just a week of reconnecting with Chuck, emotionally and physically, she is fully convinced that every time he looks at her it is for her pleasure as well as his own.

Instead of showing her to the supply closet though he simply pulled her close and kissed her ever so gently. His lips against hers sealing them together.

The End

A/N: Thank you all so much for such wonderful feedback along the way. I promise you are going to get to see Chuck & Sarah's trip to Bermuda in the sequel to this story entitled Your Hands in Mine starting very soon!


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